Easel for photographic enlargers



y 13, 1952 o. M. CARLSON 2,596,811

EASEL FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC ENLARGERS Filed Jan. 7, 1949 2 SHEETSSHEET l Fig. 1

IN V EN TOR QF/yn 777. far/son A TTO'QNEV Patented May 13, 1952 U STATES A E T QFFWE EASEL FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC ENLARGERS I lrlyn Carlson, Chicagalll. 1 1 Application January 7, 1949, serial No. 9,665

This invention relates in general to photographic enlargers and relates particularly to improvements in easels for holding sensitized photographiopapers.

' Since the "advent of fine grain emulsions for film negatives, photographs produced in mass quantities forstudent groups, professional and athletic'-'-groups have been taken on so-called miniaturefilm, enlarged prints being made therefrom by means of a photographic enlarger. The extremely fine grain film negative used with the enlarger gives'an enlarged print having acceptablequalities asxregards grain and which may have even better grain characteristics than contact- -prints made from large sizenegatives not possessing fine grain characteristics. 'It' is ob VlOllSyOfCOlllSG,1711211317118 use of such miniature filmeifects a-saving in cost, at the same time not detractingfrorn the quality of the-positive prints madettherefrom byenlargement ".The use ofconventional' enlarging equipment poses a problemas'regards the speedy production of enlarged prints.Heretoforeisuch enlargers have'been: provided with easel's forholding the sensitized paper in position for projecting'theimage thereon. Such easels havegenerally'consisted ofv a masking. frame hinged tothe easel whichwas requiredto be swiveled about its hinge prior to inserting the sensitized paper in position and then swivelecl back about its hinge for holding the paper along its edges during exposure. Because of the operation sequence required .in using such maskingxframes. in connection with the positioning of the/sensitive paper and in connectionwiththe removing of the exposed paper, the output per hour of exposed and enlarged prints has been rather limited.

In -the quantity production'of enlarged prints forythe uses recited above it is desirableto have the'sensitized paper exposed to its edges which results in asaving of paper and also results in a desirable-effect referred to in the graphic arts as bleed. Heretofore it has not been possible to expose the sensitized paper out to its edges because it was necessary to hold the paper along the edges by the masking frame, and hence to achieve bleed it was necessary to trim the unexposed edges, thereby resulting in a waste of paper.

With the foregoing considerations in mind it is a principal object of this invention to shorten the time cycle required in enlarging photographic prints.

A further object is to enable the sensitized enlarging paper to be positioned for exposure with 1 can; (01. se -a4) the entire surface including the corners and edges held in-the same plane thus e nmnau'ngany'possibility of distortion of the print, and without the use of making frames or other means overlying the sensitized paper for holding the paper in place Q t. .t

Another object is to hold the sensitized paper in position for exposure over the entire surface thereof to provide bleedflthereby making it unnecessary thereafter to trim the print.

Still another object eomprehends the positioning and holding of a sensitized enlarging paper by a source of vacuum pressureapplied to a foraminous easel against which the'sensitized paper-is held. .1

Other objects oi the invention from the description following taken together with the drawings which show preferred embodiment an'dfwhat is now considered to be the best mode'of applying the principle of the invention, thescope of the invention, however, not being limited in terms of the embodiment shown, but only by the terms of "the claim appended. i

In the drawings.

Fig. l is a side view of a photographic enlarger embodying the easelaccordingto thepres'ent'invention, certain" parts thereof being shown in Section; I

Fig; 2 is a front view thereof, certain parts thereof being shown in sectionf Fig. 3 is'a top view thereof, certain parts being broken away to showdetails ther-eo'fj'and Fig. 4 is a detail plan view showing a guide for positioning the photosensitive paper on'the easel and also showing. a mask for incr'easing'tlie 'va'cu um pressure on the photosensitiv'paper;

Referringnow' to'l'fthedrawihgsj't e photographic enlarger and'easel 'acordingdo the present invention is'indicated at mend "comprises a bench I l including a working surface I2 and supporting meansfor the bench'inclu'ding vertical legs "l3 formed from angle members joined'by welding alohgtheir"topends by hori zontal angle members M which provide a rectangular shaped frame as seen in Fig. 3 for the working surface I2, which may be secured to the graphic enlarger l9 mounted on a base 2| and secured to the bench H in any convenient manner. The enlarger l9 depends from spaced inclined rails 22, which are pivotally connected to the base 2| by a swivel member 20, by a bracket 23 adapted to move the enlarger 19 up and down along the rails 22 as desired. The enlarger !9 includes a lamp housing 25, a lens mounting 24, a bellows 26 and a red filter 2'! pivoted to the lens mounting 24 at 28. The enlarger l9 also includes adjusting members 29 and 31 for adjusting th position of the enlarger 19 along the spaced rails 22. The details of construction of the enlarger IS are no part of the invention except that the enlarger I9 is capable of orientation by means of the rails 22 and the swivel member 20 with respect to the bench I.

An easel formed of a plate-like rectangular shaped member 32 is adapted to overlie the working surface i2 and underli the enlarger I9, and to span a rectangular opening 33 in the surface l2. As shown with particular reference to Figs. 1 and 2, the easel 32 is provided with spaced perforations 34 which lie over the opening 33. For the sake of clarity the easel 32 is referred to in the claim as a foraminous plate-like member.

Means are provided for subjecting one side of the easel 32 to vacuum pressure for holding a photosensitive paper 36 to the easel 32 for exposure to an image projected by the enlarger 19. To this end there is provided a motor 31 mounted on the platform l8 connected to a vacuum pump or suction fan 38 by means of a flexible coupling 39. The inlet side 41 of the fan 38 is connected to a duct .2 which flares at 43 to meet the opening 33 formed in the working surface 12. It will be seen that when vacuum pressure is applied by the suction fan 38 to the underside of the easel 32, that the photosensitive paper will be held to the easel 32 and will be held during exposure to the image projected by the enlarger l9.

Means are provided for positioning the photosensitive paper 36 overlying the easel 32 during exposure. As shown with particular reference to Fig. 4, the easel 32 has lying thereon a guide 44 which is L-shaped in form and having legs 45 and 47 which contiguous edges 48 and 49 of the photosensitive paper 35 ar adapted to abut. The guide 44 is freely orientable over the upper surface of the easel 32 according to the location of the image projected by the enlarger and so that the legs 45 and 47 will abut the edges 48 and 49 of the paper 38 while the paper is held by I in the exposure process without the need of masking frames or clips or other holding devices which require a great deal of manipulation in their use. lhe easel according to the present invention also enables the prints to be exposed to their edges thus making for more efficient use of the photosensitive paper. While the invention has been described in terms of a preferred embodiment thereof its scope is not to be limited in terms of the embodiment herein nor otherwise than by the terms of the claim here appended.

I claim:

In a combination photographic enlarger and easel bench, a work surface lying in a. horizontal plane, supporting fram members for said work surface, said frame members and said work surface providing a base for said photographic enlarger whereby said photographic enlarger may be positioned in overlying relationship with respect to said work surface and oriented with respect thereto, a, platform spaced from and below said work surface and supported on said supporting frame members, a vacuum pump and a driving motor therefor supported on said platform, a vacuum duct connecting said vacuum pump to an opening in said work surface, a foraminous plat resting upon said work surface and overlying said opening to provide a plurality of vacuum openings for holding a photo-sensitive paper to said foraminous plate and beneath said photographic enlarger for exposure thereof, a freely orientable guide overlying said foraminous plate for guidin said photo-sensitive paper and for closing a portion of the openings in said foraminous plate to increase the vacuum pressure on said photo-sensitive paper, said freely orientabl guide consisting of a pair of L-shaped members capable of movement relative to each other to define a rectangular frame over said foraminous plate, one of said L-shaped members having legs in abutting relationship with a pair of contiguous edges of said photo-sensitive paper, the other of said L-shaped members being disposed in nonoverlapping relationship with respect to the photo-sensitive surface of said photo-sensitive paper, whereby the image being projected on said photo-sensitive paper may extend to the edges thereof.

ORLYN M. CARLSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 661,840 Baker Nov. 13, 1900 1,347,824 Pifer July 27, 1920 1,813,689 Weisker July '7, 1931 1,851,028 Worrall Mar. 22, 1932 2,378,933 Klemm June 26, 1945 

